


What I Told The Sea

by novashyperion



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 20!Nyx, 30!Noct, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Assassin's Creed Fusion, Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Assassin's Creed AU, Badly Timed Proposals, Being Ignis is Suffering, Chocobros & Lib & Crowe make appearances, Chocobros Really Love Noct, Drift Compatibility, Flirting, Getting Together, I mean it's not what's the entire focus, Kind of an MT/Not an MT Prompto, Kingsglaive Noctis Lucis Caelum, M/M, Marriage Proposal, More tags to come!, NyxNoct Week 2020, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Noctis Lucis Caelum, Omen Trailer Noctis Lucis Caelum, Oracle Noctis Lucis Caelum, Pre-Relationship, Prince Nyx Ulric, Role Reversal, Secret Relationship, Sort Of, The Drift (Pacific Rim), Younger Nyx Ulric, ish, nyxnoctweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26658106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novashyperion/pseuds/novashyperion
Summary: NyxNoct Week 2020 Prompts.One way or another, Noct is gonna fall for Nyx, and vice versa.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Nyx Ulric
Comments: 22
Kudos: 41
Collections: NyxNoct Week 2020





	1. Day 1: First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Safeguard](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9608639) by [JazzRaft](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzRaft/pseuds/JazzRaft). 
  * Inspired by [A Galahdian's Proposal](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17285351) by [LunaUlric](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaUlric/pseuds/LunaUlric). 
  * Inspired by [Changes For Peace](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20230201) by [Aithilin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aithilin/pseuds/Aithilin). 



> title inspired by:  
> “She said: “But the sea is between us;”  
> I said: “I am a good swimmer.”  
> — Waddah al-Yaman (d. 708)  
> in: “Abundance from the Desert. Classical Arabic Poetry” by Raymond Farrin ” by Raymond Farrin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oracle Noctis meets the convoy meant to take him and his guard to Insomnia. One is far more interesting than the rest.

Noctis was melting in his clothes. The shitty, pretentious outfit Emperor Aldercapt had insisted he wear as the Oracle wasn’t helping any. The Imperial whites and red, and long heavy sleeves and fabrics did little to suit the near desert heat of Leide. With his white hood up, Noct was still baking in the shade. Beside him, his best friend and personal bodyguard, Prompto was doing no better. 

A native of Tenebrae, Noct had never known such heat. Bordering Niflheim meant that spring was often rather nippy and even summers were tepid. Nevermind the curtain of frost that blew out of Niflheim during winters. Shiva may have had beef with the Niffs but her cold hands stretched far. 

Noct sometimes wondered about the funny little smile Gentiana always wore when he commented as much.

They were sitting outside a dinky little roadside called Hammerhead. It was a neutral zone as far as things went. Queen Sylva of Lucis had been adamant about it being the drop off zone. Noct couldn’t see why. There wasn’t much around. A little diner that Loqi refused to let them eat from. A small shop that Loqi refused to let them shop at. Or the little garage Loqi refused to let them enter into it. Nevermind the pretty mechanic girl and her grouchy grandfather that had tried to welcome them to Hammerhead. The old man had no qualms swearing up and down at Loqi and the clunky MT mini army that he’d taken with them.

Loqi kept pulling at his collar and grumbling under his breath. His pale skin turned redder by the minute. Prompto was no better. They both were rather fair, and the freckles that would undoubtedly be splattering across his friend were certain enough. 

Prompto groaned, just nearly falling over into Noct’s side. Loqi’s back was turned. He could afford to be out of rank for a moment. 

“Can we get some water?” He whined. “I’m dying of thirst out here.”

Noct handed him a bottle of water he’d kept in his small bag. Prompto all but dumped it over his head with a happy cry. Noct cracked a smile. A rare one for the day. He wasn’t entirely sure what to expect leading up to the whole drop off. 

Aldercapt had greater plans, that much he suspected. There was no way he was truly so willing to let Lucis have _The Oracle_ of all people within their walls. Even if it was supposedly for an end-of-war marriage. It seemed too peaceful for the old man. Even Uncle Ardyn had seemed way too into the idea. 

While Ardyn had raised him (and technically, at times, Prompto), Noctis never felt much love for the man. He never smiled with true sincerity, and there were strange shadows that always crept after him. Gentiana was not yet ready to tell him what she knew. Probably for fear of too many ears. 

Noctis had gone to bed the night before wishing he could see his father in his dreams. Just for one moment. Even a word to carry with him to the inevitable shit show he was being forced into. 

Loqi hissed under his breath, prompting Noct to look up. 

Across the dusty horizon, a row of black vehicles came across the hazy heat. The Lucian flag flew proud and high from the one leading the pack, and the Nox Fleuret insignia was printed boldly across the sides. Prompto gave a low _woah_ beside him. Noct wished he could have let him have the camera he so badly wanted. 

They all parked in formation near the diner. The old man, Cid, came out of his garage, already ornery from the get-go. 

“Sylvie really had to go and send all them trucks,” Cid loudly said. “I’ll be glad when y’all clear out. Already sick’a seeing yah.”

“Holy Shit. What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on those babies,” Cindy sighed beside him.

Out from the trucks, figures like a flock of black birds rose in tandem, converging towards where Noct and the MTs were. One struck out, probably the leader, as the others eyed the Niff army with sharp eyes from a distance. 

_Kingsglaive_ , Prompto murmured quietly to him. Elite guards that only served the Queen. Prompto touched the small of his back. 

The MTs immediately formed an X in front of him. Fed up and hoping the Lucians had freezing air conditioning in their trucks, Noct knocked their guns away, shoving even Loqi aside before he could open his big mouth, and met the leader of the Lucian party as he walked up.

The sharp, annoyed greeting that was on the tip of Noct’s tongue died when he finally came toe to toe with the other man. A weird squirming feeling overcame Noct when he realized he only came up to the middle of the man’s chest. Noct couldn’t help his gape.

Noct’s eyes went up and up and up; blinking twice at the Galahdian braids, the tattoos, and the steady cobalt gaze staring back at him. Galahd rested amongst the sea to the south. Cradled by unending blue skies and seas like Noct could only dream about while locked away in Niflheim’s cold, bland walls. He’d gone fishing a few times with his father as a child, bundled up against the chill side by side as they comfortably waited for the lines to bob, dozing as the sun crept across the sky. Looking at the other man, Noct felt a creeping memory come to mind. The night before dusk, with the sea hiding her strength with her temporary peace. He was already drenched in sweat, but his palms felt uncomfortably so in that instant.

Noct swallowed a little too loudly. 

The careful, neutral expression on the other man’s face wrinkled into a friendly, self-assured grin in a blink. 

Before Noct could open his mouth, the man bent into a bow. With one hand pressed to his chest, the Glaive looked up at him, the shadow of a smirk on his face. When he rose, the man said, “A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”

Somewhere between his brain coming back online and his mouth trying to catch up, Noct got his wires crossed. He meant to say something like _It’s my pleasure_ or _You as well._ When he opened his mouth, he said, “You’re my pleasure”, and immediately prayed for Ramuh to strike him down. 

Prompto coughed behind him, barely restraining a laugh into his fist. 

The man grinned, “Glad to hear.” He nodded towards Loqi and Prompto. “If there is nothing else required, we will be taking His Highness and guard with us.”

Loqi scowled, looking ready to start an argument but quickly turning on Prompto instead when he could do little but tip his chin up at the Glaive. He shoved Prompto forward, hissing at him. “Remember who you represent, you little failure. Your life is nothing. Protect the Oracle or hope the Gods are kinder than _we_ will be.”

Prompto didn’t even look chagrined, only nodded, uncharacteristically solemn. Noct swallowed dryly, turning to follow the Glaive. Prompto’s loyalty came without question. Before he was a soldier handpicked supposedly by Gentiana — perhaps by chance — to stand by Noct’s side, he was his friend. Foolishly for a moment, he had forgotten the reality of having Prompto with him. Prompto would _die_ for him without question. Within Lucian walls, Noct could only hope that that would never come to pass. 

Prompto gulped, addressing the Glaive. “So, uh, after you?”

The Glaive inclined his head. He cut a side eye at Loqi, pinning him in place, but otherwise ushered both Oracle and guard towards the inky mass of Glaives hovering behind him. 

Quietly, Noct cleared his throat. “You never told me your name.”

“Didn’t think it mattered much,” The Glaive answered casually. Noct couldn’t help liking him more and more. He was unafraid of Noct’s status, it seemed. For once, his title, his being, wasn’t being spoken of with either untouchable reverence or scathing, fake care. “But if it would _please_ His Highness, my name is Nyx. Nyx Ulric.”

Noct smiled, mostly to himself. “So, I guess I'll be seeing you a lot in Insomnia, Nyx Ulric.”

Nyx huffed a laugh, grinning with visible amusement. “I hope so, Your Highness.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, def inspired by Jazzraft’s Oracle Noct AU. I just really fell in love with the idea. It also helps that they had a fic where nyxnoct went to the ac festival. i’m gonna cry their au is so awesome.
> 
> Then I was like. Can you imagine how big a nerd Noct would be? He’s wearing Imperial white, sure, but he could totally get away with closet cosplaying assassin’s creed every day like the giant nerd he is. purposefully gets a hood to fulfill his dreams.
> 
> Ft. Defective not-an MT Prompto who grew up to be his personal guard (kind of like Gladio but not). Ignis and Gladio serve Lunafreya as future advisor and shield. Ravus got booted from being crown prince since Luna is the Chosen One. Sylva is Queen. Like how Cid calls Regis "Reggie", he calls Sylva "Sylvie". Sorry Regis guess you’re dead first. Noct is an only child. Ardyn partially raised the oracle. he calls him “Uncle Ardyn”.
> 
> I debated changing Kingsglaive to Queensglaive but decided against it.
> 
> I’ve played the game and still don’t know a whole lot. please feel free to point out any issues or discrepancies or just tell me how to improve on my writing


	2. Day 2: Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fighting a swarm of MTs on an open field isn't the most romantic setting. Noctis didn't get the memo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POTC3 gave us one of the best proposals of all time, I stand by this.

“So what? You wouldn’t marry me?”

Nyx only narrowly missed the bullets coming at him, almost tripping at Noctis’ words. He didn’t have time to whip around and look at the younger man before another MT had come hurtling at him. With a little less finesse than he wanted, Nyx quickly sliced into it, before shooting away to guard Prompto’s back. 

“I hardly think now is the best time, Noct,” Ignis interrupted, fixing his glasses. “Glaive Ulric is rather preoccupied.”

Nyx would have loved to thank Ignis, but words were still escaping him. He and Noctis had flirted on and off, and the Prince had made it no secret that he was attracted to him. He’d crowded Nyx up against enough back walls and behind doors for Nyx to get the memo. 

Nyx cursed the day King Regis had asked him to accompany Noctis and his retinue for their — training roadtrip. It had been the Marshal who suggested doing a bit of hunting work and roughing it would properly prepare Noctis for the throne. After all, his father had done so at his age. It also looked good, it was argued, that Noctis could use that time to connect to Lucians residing outside the wall, and endear them to him. 

As capable as his retinue was, the King hadn’t been fully sold until Drautos had (spitefully) name-dropped him. (What better punishment than babysitting the Prince, after all? Second only to wall duty anyway.) Nyx had experience outside the wall, too, anyway.

Nyx would trade a year’s worth of wall duty than be where he was right now. He was regretting even more that he’d caved and let the Prince bunk with him the rare times they’d rented a hotel room. His thighs hadn’t forgiven him for the Prince’s overly enthusiastic performance. He probably still had marks from his Prince’s hands indented along his hips and back, and there was a particularly achy mark whittled into the inside of his thigh. He was lucky for the high collar of his shirt, if only to escape Ignis’ eagle eyes. 

Noctis scoffed, looking as moody as a pouting coeurl. After weeks on the road, Nyx had acclimated to their mannerisms; he could  _ feel _ the eyeroll Gladio was giving. 

“The Hero of Insomnia can’t multitask now?” Noctis snarked back petulantly as he and Gladio tag-teamed a group of bots.

Next to him, Prompto gave a low whistle. “He’s got you there, man.”

“What do you want, huh? Do you want me to elope with you right now?” Nyx yelled. 

He clicked his tongue when one stubborn MT refused to go down after Ignis’ well-placed dagger struck it’s back. Swiftly he warped, slamming the blade deeper. When the MT finally fell, he tossed the dagger back to Ignis who nodded in turn.

Noctis was scowling. He knew that much. He turned to see, already spreading his arms wide in exasperation. A dumb-ass move, he knew, especially considering their predicament. Prompto made a distressed noise. A flash of blue appeared before him, and a second after, the Prince himself. Nyx wanted to laugh. He’d been right; Noctis’ mouth was downturned harshly.

“No, dumbass, I just want to know if you’d marry me or not,” Noctis said. 

An electric zipline hurtled their way. They both looked towards the offending MT. Nyx caught the line, wrapping it strongly around in his fist. He yanked it forward as Noctis swung his engine blade down against the back of its neck. 

Nyx groaned. “Of course, I would if I could. But you’re literally the Prince, what the hell do you expect me —”

Noctis cut him off, “By the line of Lucis, I, Noctis Lucis Caelum, hereby request the honor of marrying you, Glaive Nyx Ulric.”

Softer, with feeling, against the backdrop of a true shit show, Noct said, “Marry me, Hero. I’m kind of gone for you.”

Gladio had to catch Ignis in a rare moment of impropriety. He righted him, as the advisor’s face became dumb-struck. Noctis was probably breaking about thirty different royal protocols in under a minute. Nyx wasn’t sure which one of them was going to suffer the advisor’s wrath when (if?) they got out of this.

“You can’t just spring it like that!” Prompto was yelling. “I didn’t even have my camera ready!”

Nyx looked at Noct. Looked at the dirt and sweat all over his face, the way his hair was wind-swept and messy, and the singed hole in his outfit. This was so far out of his pay grade. So far above his station, in more ways than one. 

Nyx had entertained the occasional flirting back at the Citadel. It was harmless at best. The two of them trading teasing banter the rare moments they were alone. He'd given the Prince a kiss for his birthday two years before, and maybe one each year after until now. But could he be blamed? The Prince had told him that was good enough a gift in his eyes, and Nyx rarely went against orders. (Drautos was probably sneezing up a storm back at the Citadel). 

When they’d left Insomnia, he’d let the touches get more bold. They were outside the Wall after all. Things were different. Noctis might as well have been a regular man. Duty aside, Nyx could be free to joke with him, eat with him, and bond with him and his retinue over a campfire. The impromptu date they’d had at Lestallum had been a moment of weakness. He’d spent weeks out on the road with the Prince and his retinue. He was looking at him inside the dreary, dark halls of the Palace. 

All the glitter of an open sky looked good on Noctis. He’d come into himself on the road trip, and Nyx couldn’t say no once he’d set those eyes on him. It was a fling at best, he’d reasoned. No prying eyes, no reporters, no judgement. Ignis’ care aside, Noctis could be free. Nyx just never entertained the idea that it could last.

Noctis had, apparently.

Nyx already knew what he should say. He knew it when he and Noctis met eyes one more time, already standing too still, too long on a gods-damned battlefield. He knew it when they came back to back, carving through MT’s until they were warping around like lightning strikes. The King’s magic, the Prince’s feelings, Nyx wasn’t sure which was drawing adrenaline all over him. 

He knew he should say no. But; “Yes! Yes, okay. Court me, damn it.”

Ignis made a high-pitched noise, only just drowned out by Prompto’s whoop of celebration. Noctis’ grin was large, pretty and dimpled until his eyes crinkled. He looked over his shoulder, trusting Nyx to guard his back.

“Ignis! Initiate the thing!”

Ignis shoved Gladio forward into a swinging MT, and scowled with all displeasure of man who would probably challenge the Gods themselves for his Prince. Ignis straightened his jacket.

“You are very  _ lucky _ , Noctis Lucis Caelum, that I love you so dearly, or else I would sooner face His Majesty’s wrath for ringing your neck than allowing you to court a Glaive.”

“That’s not a no, Iggy!” Prompto teased. He nudged the other man as he set to adjusting his camera. “You got this, big guy! Iggy’ll definitely reward you with cup noodles tonight.”

“ _ Please _ . I can only take so much stress in one day,” Ignis quipped. He held the bridge of his nose between his fingers for a moment before sighing.

“I, Ignis Scientia, hereby name myself witness to the intentions of His Highness, One-Hundred and Fourteenth of his line, as he asks Glaive Ulric, to — Oh bloody hell!” An MT grabbed onto his foot, scuffing along the shiny leather. Prompto couldn’t help the high-pitched giggle he gave. He pulled Ignis back and shot the MT point blank. “Do you, Nyx Ulric, take Noctis Lucis Caelum to be your intended?”

“Yeah! I do,” Nyx called. 

Ignis clicked his tongue, throwing a dagger to guard Gladio’s back . “And you, Noctis?”

“Same! I do, too!” 

Ignis rolled his eyes. “Then, on this day, let it be known, that His Highness —” He dodged a hail of bullets. “His Highness, N—” He stabbed another MT. “That you’re married! Now, if you would  _ please _ , Noctis, hurry this along.”

Noctis grinned, grabbed Nyx by his forearm and pulled him close. Nyx could feel his cheeks ache, sure that a mirror of his. “By the power granted to me by the Crystal, and the Astrals, I hereby name us husbands.” 

Nyx laughed, dropping his head to Noctis’ shoulder. The sound of the rapid click of the shutter tickled at Nyx’s ears. 

“Come on, guys! Hurry up and kiss before Ignis decides to do the Empire a favor!” Gladio called.

Noctis shrugged. “Well, you heard him.”

Nyx shook his head. He pulled his husband into a kiss, pressing deep against him until he could feel the spark of magic racing along Noctis’ veins and coursing through him. Reluctantly, they parted, and set their eyes on the remaining forces. 

Nyx gave a mock bow. “After you, husband.”

Noctis did one right back. “No, no, I insist,  _ honey _ .”

They shared a look, and took off. In a flash of blue, they were hurtling their blades through the MTs. They cut swiftly through the ranks, back to back, and blade to blade. Gladio gave an impressed yell. Nyx narrowly caught Noctis as they tumbled along, finally able to catch their breaths. Nyx knocked his forehead against his husband’s, unable to stop his laugh.

“His Majesty is going to kill me.”

Noctis cuffed his knuckles against Nyx’s chest, trying to push further into his space. “If we bribe Specs enough, I’m sure he can come up with a plan.”

Nyx slung an arm over Noctis’ shoulder, pulling him along to the others. They all stood apart for a moment before huddling into a messy group hug. Gladio and Prompto pulled at their clothes and ruffled their hair as Ignis rested a gentle hand to junction between their neck and shoulders.

“Well, I suppose, we’re all in this now, aren’t we?” Ignis mused.

Gladio nudged him. “We did swear to follow and protect him.”

“We got your backs! So, how about a group picture to celebrate the occasion?” Prompto chirped in.

Nyx mused about how he was going to break the news to Crowe and Libertus as Prompto set up the tripod and directed them into the shot. He found it didn’t worry him much when Noctis laced his fingers with Nyx’s where it hung over his shoulder. He was the Hero of this story, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nyxnoct are switches, don't @ me. Is Noct a pillow prince? Def. Does Nyx deserve pillow prince treatment? Absolutely. it's only implied tho loool but do what you will with that info.


	3. Day 3: Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pacific Rim AU. Something's headed for the Shatterdome...

“Marshal,” Ignis’ voice broke through the quiet. “We are getting readings of something approaching.”

Marshal Leonis’ face was dark as he came to the console, eyes scanning the multitude of readings on the computer. “What is it?”

The familiar ache of a headache came over Nyx. It had been days since the Breach had closed, and the headache had been a near constant companion. It tugged and pulled at the inside of his skull. Never painful, but insistent on its annoyance. He screwed his eyes shut as he tried to listen.

Ignis was quiet for a moment, painfully so. “It seems to be a Jaeger sir.”

“A _Jaeger_? Shit, I thought we recovered all our remaining Jaegers. Who the hell —”

Nyx felt himself go cold at Ignis’ next words. “It’s the Regalia, sir. She’s headed to the Shatterdome.”

“How the hell can the Regalia even still be standing? Noct — The Breach —” Nyx’s throat was a desert. “He didn’t make it.”

The glare of the lights hid Ignis’ eyes as he collected himself. Nothing was said for a tense, horrible moment. Everyone in the room was at a loss. Nyx looked around, collecting all their expressions. Prompto looked around nervously; Gladio was tense and cloudy-eyed; Cor and Ignis were the picture of stone-faced, though Nyx had long since come to know better. Only Luna finally was able to break the silence.

“ _Is_ it Noctis in there?” Lunafreya asked.

Ignis adjusted his glasses. “According to our readings: yes. It’s him. He’s operating the Regalia solo.”

Prompto came up to Ignis’ side, eyes roving over the information. He frowned, looking a little sick. “He’s right. But, Iggy. His biometrics, it’s…”

“I know.”

Gladio made a pained noise. Nyx couldn’t blame them. They’d grown up with Noctis. Had seen him from a young boy, struggling on his crutches, to a man worthy of his father’s title. They’d loved him. 

Nyx had been lucky. It was a thought that swirled in his head a lot these days. He’d become a part of Noctis through the Drift. He’d grown to like him, and perhaps inevitably, love him.

Days had gone by where Nyx would lie in his bed, trying to will his mind to keep a steady memory of how Noctis’ hands and fingers felt. The weight of his body against him. The smell and tickle of his hair. It felt selfish, too. That he could keep these parts of Noctis locked away with him under his skin, when they didn’t even have a body to bury. 

His friends and his family had sent them off together, and Noctis — damn stubborn, _heroic_ Noctis — had to go and eject Nyx from the Regalia and take the weight of the world on his own.

Gladio had taken the news of Noct’s sacrifice particularly hard. He’d all but crumpled against Ignis who only just looked like he was holding it together. 

Nyx didn’t think he could get over the image of Gladio pressing his face into Ignis’ neck and weeping himself ragged. Ignis, barely a monument of strength, fraying at the foundations, cradling his friend’s back and comforting him under the emptying glaze of his eyes. 

If he could have, Ignis would have yanked Noctis straight from the Breach himself, Nyx was sure of that. He was only holding it together, barely at that, for Gladio’s sake; for the sake of face while they still were running through the work day. The walls of their rooms at the Shatterdome were thick, but even Nyx could feel Ignis’ mourning like a thick cloud down the hallway. 

Prompto looked on the verge of a panic. Nyx didn’t forget the other man’s own affections. Prompto had disappeared shortly after the news, and so had the Marshal after announcing that the clock be stopped. He’d been absent around the daily proceedings for a month. Despite his usual demeanor, Marshal Leonis tentatively touched his son’s arm.

“So what do we do?” Gladio hoarsely cut in. “Do we welcome him? Stop him? Most of our tech’s shot now. Regalia was the very last one. We’re sitting empty right now.”

“The comms got destroyed when Nyx and Noct entered the Breach. Their electric interference also means the AI can’t reconnect back with Regalia. Noct could be hurt. What if he made it and he’s just trying to get some help?” Prompto added in.

Marshal Leonis shook his head. “Or, it’s a trick by the Kaiju. We know they’ve constantly evolved to mess with our tech the more we’ve adapted to them. It could be one last trap aimed at us.”

Prompto bit his lip. “We also used most of the Crystal to destroy the breach. What little we have isn’t going to be much use if we - if we have to…”

The Crystal had been a thing long fished out of the ocean. It was too foreign in origin to be considered Earth-made. It had been theorized that it had probably been spit out of the Breach, probably from whatever world the Kaiju had also hailed from. While the power it radiated was immense, it was far too finicky and unknowing. Manipulating it farther than it seemed to allow, often led to drawbacks. 

It was how Caelum Industries had come to use it to power their tiny nation-state. It was Regis Lucis Caelum’s wish that he could properly harvest it to power all countries some day. Then the Kaiju had risen from the seas, taking half of Galahd with it in the first wave of attacks. 

In the end, it did what they needed it to. It powered the Jaegers. Gave them new, better weapons to fight the Kaiju. Gave humanity a chance.

Most of the Crystal had been sacrificed to close the Breach. And Noct along with it.

A rapid beeping came up on screen. Every head in the room turned, eyeing the information rapidly running across the screen. Ignis gave a shuddering exhale that ached in Nyx’s ears.

“She’s — disappeared. Just like that.”

The Marshal shoved against him, eyes running over all the information. “That’s impossible. How the hell?”

Nyx felt his mouth go dry. They hadn’t imagined it had they? A daydream borne of pure grief made real and whole and terrible. The Regalia — _Noctis_ — risen again from the mouth of death, clawing through the oceans. Faintly, he could still feel their Drift between them. He could feel Noct’s after-image clouding along his edges, bidding him to come close.

“Could it be mimicking that Cat 5? The one with the cloaking abilities?” Prompto quickly deduced. “Our sensors could only briefly capture it when Nyx and Noct fought it.”

The Regalia blipped into focus again. Closer now. The Shatterdome in clear line of focus. Everyone grew tense. Moments later, all signs had gone quiet again. 

“It’s like,” Luna began. “It’s... teleporting?”

Prompto grew alarmed. “What? How the hell can it be doing that? Jaegers can’t teleport!”

“But maybe one fueled by a weird ass Crystal _could_ ,” Nyx cut in. They’d shoved it straight into the Regalia’s core and made her nuclear. 

A sharing of grave looks passed around, unwelcome like an unhappy Sunday dinner. Marshal Leonis took the head of the table. “Prepare any and all defenses we have left. We _won_ dammit. We’re not going back.”

He hurried off, yelling commands left and right as Ignis shakily made the announcement on the PA. Prompto and Gladio went off not long after. When the announcement had finished, Ignis braced himself against the back of his chair and hung his head. Nyx opened his mouth, only to shut it when Lunafreya laid a gentle hand to his shoulder. He let her shuffle him out.

“Do you feel him?” She asked softly. They walked slowly, even as alarms and lights flashed in panic around them as people hurried double time.

“Yeah. I do. It’s,” Nyx sucked his teeth in annoyance. “We’re not even in the Drift and it’s like he’s calling me. But something’s... blocking it. Me? Him? I don’t know.”

Luna nodded. “He’s reaching out.”

“So, what? He’s coming back? For me?”

Luna didn’t respond. They stopped. The flashing red of the sirens cast a glum light over Luna’s face. She was tired. She’d always amazed him by being so put together despite everything. On point, poised, and ready. Here, she looked all of her twenty-four years. Dulled and exhausted, and wanting to unravel. 

“Oh,” Nyx said. “You really…?”

Luna looked away. “I know the Drift. My mother headed development of the technology. When you’re connected, that never truly goes away. When we lose someone while we’re still Drifting, a thin thread still holds up together, pumping through the bond. We’re haunted, at best. That’s all I can say.”

“Ravus. Right?”

“Right.” Luna held his shoulder. “You two —”

A loud crashing echoed through the Shatterdome. Nyx and Luna were thrown to the ground, as chaos began to descend around them. Nyx’s heart pulsed loudly in his ears. Beside him, Luna roughly gripped his sleeve.

**_The Regalia has breached the Shatterdome! I repeat, The Regalia has breached the Shatterdome! Main Deck C has been compromised!_ **

  
  


“Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit.” Nyx headed straight into the fray, cursing his own idiocy.

Nyx fought against the swarm of people rushing farther into the dome. He was flung once, trapped against the wall, before he was roughly elbowing himself forwards. A grating, metallic scream stopped Nyx cold, clutching at his head as it pulsed unbearably. He crumpled, fighting to catch his breath. A million and one voices sledgehammered their way through his head. Voices and thoughts incomplete and wrong; sounds he didn’t recognize; memories he did. Against the slow clearing of his vision, Nyx willed himself up and dashed towards the Regalia.

“Noctis! Noct!” Nyx called, voice fighting against the noise. “NOCT!”

A massive shadow passed overhead. Almost in slow motion, Nyx watched as one of Regalia's enormous hands came over him. The fingers began to curl as it descended. A ringing pinned through Nyx’s ears until he was a soundless bubble, frozen in time by the hand reaching out to him. The Shatterdome shook and Nyx knew darkness.

When the Regalia opened her palm, the unfamiliar purple haze of her visor greeted him. Electricity crackled across the face plate. Nyx could recognize the honing system flitting across the surface until it blipped, having zeroed in on him. At her core, the remains of the crystal had dug into the chest plate, clutching at it like creeping ivy; it pulsed, like breaths.

Nyx breathed loudly, sitting up on his knees. “Hey, kid — You in there?” No answer but the beeping. “C’mon, don’t fuck around like that. Answer me!”

Nothing. “Noctis —”

Nyx felt fear bolt straight through him. A jagged line ran across Regalia's head. It creaked, grating like massive rusty doors, until the conn-pod was split open like a terrible, yawning mouth. Regalia’s palm tilted, and Nyx with it. He scrambled for purchase on her palm, digging his blunted nails into the metal without avail, until he was falling between Regalia’s jaws. 

Nyx hit the deck of the conn-pod soundly, rolling painfully onto his side. He groaned, pulling himself to sit up. 

“ _Ny-x_ .” Nyx’s eyes traveled up. “ _N-yx_.”

Seated like a Prince amongst the ruined wires and debris, was Noctis. He was still in what was left of his drive suit. The familiar skull logo of the Regalia’s previous duo barely intact across Noctis’ chest plate. In the dark light of the conn-pod, his eyes glowed a deep, unsettling purple. One ankle rested against the opposite leg’s knee, while Noctis cradled his cheek against his knuckles. 

He’d always sat like that, kind of haughty and bored. Crowe had started it first. She’d teased him about looking like a scolded prince when Ignis had nagged him to eat his vegetables, and Nyx had run away with it. Any chance he could, he needled him about it. Poked and prodded until Noctis had accidentally begun answering to Your Highness and Prince. 

The unnatural glow of Noctis’ eyes cast a shadow along his face. He blinked, and the light flickered. Under his skin, the faint glow of thin, purple veins were pumping. For the first time, Nyx didn’t want to be around Noctis. 

“ _You’re here,_ ” Noctis said. “ _You’re here.”_

Nyx nodded, unable to find his voice. Noctis smiled, hollow and wrong. “ _Stay, Ny-x. Stay._ ”

“No, kid. No, no, no. You. What are you doing?”

“ _Find. You. Stay. With you. Ny-x._ ” 

“Noct…”

Something struck the Regalia, forcing it to stagger and grip into the concrete of the deck. Noctis made a pained noise, hanging onto the wires to steady himself. The visor of the conn-pod pulled up the image of another missile headed their way. Noctis swinging his arm around, late in batting aside the projectile. Nyx slammed against the side, head ringing. Something rolled next to him and bounced against his leg. It was Nyx’s cracked helmet. It was the one he’d lost when Noctis had ejected him to the surface. The oxygen had been leaking out. Noctis had swapped them while he’d been too weak to fight him off. 

“ _Ny-x!”_

Noctis opened his palm. Nyx watched as Noctis activated the Engine Blade, and struggled towards him. He slid, hitting the other end of the conn-pod as Noctis sliced into the main deck. Noctis wound up again, poised to bring the blade down. Nyx leapt, grabbing his wrist.

“Noctis, stop!” 

“ _Protect,_ You _. Ugh. Ny-x!”_ Noctis fought to break from Nyx’s grip, using his other hand to try and push him away. Nyx shook his head, grabbing Noctis’ other wrist in his grip. He pulled it flush against his chest, head bowing towards his partner.

“We’re partners, aren’t we?” Nyx shook his head. “This isn’t how it goes, dumbass.”

Purple eyes narrowed as Noctis frowned. Nyx motioned to the helmet lying on the ground. 

“Let me Drift with you. We’ll protect each other.” 

Noctis dropped his forehead against Nyx’s chest. He murmured his name and nodded. Nyx picked up his helmet and went to his spot. Noctis didn’t seem to need to be hooked up like they used to, but at least the helmet would give Nyx part of it. He pulled it on. The wires crept down from the conn-pod, plugging into the back of his helmet and drawing over him like waiting hands. 

He looked across the way at Noct who looked back. He grinned, finding his face still familiar with the easy smile he’d only gifted to his partner. He felt the pull of the Drift tickling at his mind and let it wash over him.

The feel of the wind from the open windows as Regis drove through the country roads of outback Insomnia. Nyx’s mother’s fixing the jeweled headband across the crown of Selena’s hair. The ocean, rearing up, swallowing Galahd. The feel of the bo staffs striking in the quiet room. The warm palm resting at the middle of his back. The weight against his shoulder. The hand holding his as they dove down into the depths. The fear, the quiet hiss of Nyx’s helmet. The cold hands of the Crystal. The pull of sleep, cold, yearning sleep, for a dream, for — 

Nyx felt a thread in his palm. It’s thin body slithered over the lines, trying to slip through his fingers. He yanked. Everything seemed to stop. He tugged again, pulling at it until he could loop it around his wrist and didn’t let go.

When he walked, it was through flowing images. Each like a gate of water reflecting a memory. He let it flow over him, one after the other, without dwelling too long on it. He followed the thread, feeling it slacken less and less and he came closer. 

It hovered at one memory. Nyx recognized his own face, partially hidden by standard PPDC pillows, and blanketed with the rare warm light of a calm morning. He watched his fingers trace along a cheek, Noct’s cheek, and the tips of Noctis’ fingers twisting a braid around it. 

“Not chasing the RABIT is rule number one, kid,” Nyx said, with a put upon sigh. He entered the memory. Inside, to his amusement, lay Noctis, sleeping in an imitation of their bed. Nyx shook his head and sat at the edge. He flicked Noctis in the forehead. The reaction was instant. Up jolted his partner, indignant and upset at being woken. Nyx shot him a shit-eating grin. 

The annoyance quickly bled away until Noctis was throwing his arms around Nyx’s shoulders and burying his face against his neck. “You’re here,” He murmured almost inaudibly. Nyx kissed just under his ear. He snickered not long after.

“Why am I not surprised? Sleeping, _again_?”

“Shove off.” There was a smile in Noct’s voice. “What’dya gonna do? Snitch?”

Nyx pulled back and crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk. Noct choked; “You’re serious? Nyx, come on!”

Nyx held out his hand. “Like I’m gonna let you shoulder everything alone.” 

Noct took his hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. They locked eyes once and took off running. When Nyx blinked awake again, he was in his body. The hand in his squeezed their fingers together. Nyx peered over. Tired cobalt blue gazed back, lightened by that lazy smile he loved. Together, they pulled the Regalia off the deck and into the bay. Nyx pressed against the comms link of his helmet. Ignis picked up on the first ring. 

“Hey, guys, guess what…”

-

Version 2

-

The room was spinning when Nyx awoke. A ringing pitched in his ears, making him hiss as he tried to open his eyes. His body felt heavy; a million invisible hands holding against him, but not down. He could move if he wanted, but he was so tired, too tired. Beside him, a cool hand smoothed over his forehead and into his hair. Nyx felt almost instantly soothed. When he could creak his bleary eyes opn, it was to a familiar smile.

Nyx closed his eyes again, leaning into the other man’s touch as the ache pounding behind his eyes petered away. A smell kind of like ozone and rust met his nose. It was an unfamiliar scent he didn’t normally associate with Noct. Noct was cheap body spray and the faint scent of fried fish. He only smelt like a storm when -

“Noct,” Nyx breathed out. “Noct.”

“Hey, Hero. Finally up?”

Nyx laughed. “I should be asking you that. W’time is it? Did I sleep in that long?”

Noctis hummed, still petting his hair. “Dunno, actually. Just woke up, too.”

Nyx reached blindly for Noctis’ other hand, bringing it up to kiss his palm. Noctis’ fingers tickled against his stubbled cheek, pushed his thumb against Nyx’s nose with a chuckle. Nyx grinned, lazy and easy. It wasn’t often they got to sleep in. Rare was a kind word for it. Nonexistent at that. A few minutes to wake up together, kissing in false calm was as close to a peaceful morning as they could have. Nyx felt distantly uncomfortable the slow way they’d been waking up.

“Missed you, Hero,” Noctis murmured. “Didn’t want to let you go.”

Nyx snorted. “Where am I going? You and me gotta stick together.”

The hairs on Nyx’s body started to raise. He furrowed his brows sleepily. A cousin of panic itched under his skin. He couldn’t understand why as Noctis brushed a faint kiss against his temple.

“I only want to be with you, too. I’d do anything.” Noctis’ voice took on a weird waver. Nyx willed his eyes open, blinking until he could make out his surroundings.

It was bright. Bright enough to hurt. Within it all, was Noct’s familiar form. His usual dark clothes, hugging a form Nyx would know from memory, all leading up to the umbral hue of his hair, lying flat without the usual hair gel. Noct looked paler than usual, darkened shadows under his eyes. Nyx thumbed away his bangs, meeting his partner’s eyes. Where ocean blue should lay, pulsing violet eyes stared back. 

The lights overhead flickered. Something like a rumble passed behind the walls, soft but apparent. 

When Noctis breathed, a flicker of purple light matched it. Nyx glanced down, watching a black-purple crystal breathing with him flash. A smoky echo followed Noctis’ voice. “Nyx. Nyx, stay with me.”

Nyx swallowed. He struggled to sit up. “Noct, baby. You okay?”

Noctis sat up with him, tilting his head in thought. He slid his eyes over to him, slow and glowing. “M’fine. Better now that you’re up.”

He laid a hand to Nyx’s chest. “Much better. I was afraid of losing you, you know. I nearly lost you down there, but the Crystal saved us. Saved you.”

Nyx’s head drummed. Down there…? _Down where_ , Nyx thought. Had they been somewhere? They had to be. Sleeping in wasn’t normal. By now they’d have to be up and about. What was normal? Nyx’s head was whirling. Noctis was still looking at him. The violet of his eyes eating up his irises. He leaned towards Nyx, propping his chin to his chest. His hair smelled like a storm.

“What do you mean?” Nyx asked.

Noct rolled his eyes with amusement. “Just what I said. They sent us to die. It saved us.”

“They,” Nyx repeated. They? Nyx felt light-headed for a moment. Noctis’ hand played along his ribs from under his shirt. Nyx let it calm him. It was a thing Noct had actually liked. It had a way of turning Noct into putty when Nyx could get his hands on him in the quiet of their room. Noct nipped him on the chin.

“Still there, Hero?”

Nyx wasn’t sure. He hummed an affirmative just the same. He puthis arms around Noctis. He pulled him flush against his left side. Noctis felt unnaturally cold. The Noct he knew was a constant furnace. It made sleeping next to him kind of uncomfy at times, especially when Noct attached to him under the sheets. Nyx rubbed at the inside of Noctis’ wrist. He felt empty inside for some reason; alone. Even next to Noct he couldn’t understand why he felt like he was lonely.

“Hey, are we planning on just sitting here all day?” Nyx joked. “You’ve got to be getting hungry.”

He pecked under Noctis’ eye. “Maybe Specs can whip up something? I don’t know how he can make cafeteria slop taste good.”

Nyx didn’t know why he felt alarmed when Noctis’ expression grew dark. A dangerous frown painted across his face. 

Nyx pushed on, even as his body grew taut with distress. “...Bet Gladio will be there, trying to get him to make gourmet cup noodles. And Prompto’ll get nagged for forgetting to watch the oil off his hands.”

Noctis’ lip curled, teeth peeping out. “Don’t worry. I’ll deal with them.”

“Babe -”

“You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if not for them,” Noctis spat. The crystal in his chest crackled. “They sent you down there. I nearly lost you because of it.”

Down there. Nyx was getting tired of not knowing what that meant, of not knowing why Noct was behaving so hostile to the three people that he’d loved most of all. Most of all, why he felt like he was floating alone with the ocean at his back. He had Noctis in his arms and still couldn’t feel him no matter how close he pulled him.

The rumbling got louder. Noctis didn’t seem to notice as the lights overhead swung. 

“They’ll regret ever hurting my co-pilot.”

Nyx blinked too slow. Behind his eyes were pounding again. It pulled at his brain, phantom fingers drawing against all the creases in his head and drawing at his thoughts. His gaze wavered. All around them felt like water. Sluggish and muted, even as they seemed to remain the same, floating in a nothingness. Noctis’ hair was ethereal, haloing around him as he leaned towards him. 

“Nyx. I’m going to protect you.” Noct’s voice was shadowy. “I’m meant to be at your side. I’ll never let them hurt you again.”

Nyx felt his shoulder ache. His whole left arm erupting in what felt like fire. He hissed, unable to reconcile while his arm was threatening to fall off, while Noct blinked at him, unnatural. 

Nyx felt like a fish in an aquarium. Everything too loud, pounding against his glass, against him. The ripples of water around him echoing like an earthquake. Lightning flashed inside his blood, crackling along his veins and skin.  
  


One thing kept sticking out to Nyx their whole exchange. Something that kept nagging at him. Noct hadn’t mentioned them as a unit. It was _I_ or _me_ , and rarely _we_. 

“When did your vocab change, kid?” Nyx started. A geyser of emotion rising up in him. “Thought we were a team.”

Noctis’ furrowed his brow. “Of course. It’s you and me. Like always. Like how it should be.”

“No, Noct. No - babe, you...you don’t even _see_ do you? Oh, Noct.”

He laid a hand to Noctis’ chest. He felt around the crackling crystal laying there. Noctis’ eyes grew wide. They glowed back at him, confused and boyish despite the strange light of his eyes. Piece by piece, Nyx could feel everything coming back. It made no sense in bits, but he could feel himself understanding just the same. 

The Crystal they’d hooked up to the Regalia, their Jaeger. The Breach the Crystal itself had come from, and where all the Kaiju had clawed out from. The two of them diving deep into the abyss, slipping in between the fissure between worlds to close it. But that wasn’t completely right either. They’d made it, Nyx knew they did. But why couldn’t he remember what happened next? What happened to Noct?

He pressed his forehead to Noctis’. “C’mon, Kid. We’re in this together. Show me.”

He felt Noct’s lashes flutter close. For a moment, their breaths were wrong and uneven, and then Nyx had hit it. The cadence of a synced breath. They inhaled at the same time, deep and filling. Then the memories sloshed into the fish bowl.

Flashing red. Everywhere, everything. The air in the conn-pod was evaporating fast. Noctis was looking at him, watching him struggle to stay awake. His helmet was cracked. Noctis’ eyes was moving frantically around them. Something. Anything. His heart in his ears, reverberating around the speakers of the conn-podd. 

He couldn’t lose him. He couldn’t lose Nyx. He’d lost his father, his home already. They both had. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t, he couldn’t. Not without Nyx. He’d promised to stay with him, to stand by him. Everything was loud, so loud. Too loud. His hands were shaking and numb. Nyx wasn’t waking up. Nyx wasn’t breathing. Why did they have to be born into such a world? Dropping down with what effectively was a bomb to close a gods-damned hell tear between worlds. 

The Crystal crackled. It grew big and terrible. Slicing up along Regalia’s form. It fractured the breach. It’s pieces flying far as a light sped along, hitting each tiny crystal, exploding in a shower of blue. Regalia rocked, shaking the two of them in their restraints. Noct struggled to breathe. He pulled at his bonds, reaching, reaching, and took Nyx by the hand. He held on, as his tears dripped along the faceplate of his helmet. 

In his mind’s eye, he could see Nyx laying beside him. His smile was gentle, and only for Noct. He was touching his cheek, promising to stay by his side, come hell or high water. 

“Please,” Noctis cried. “I want to stay with him.”

With a deceivingly gentle jingle, the crystal sliced through the Regalia, and took them into its core. With a final explosion, before the breach closed, the two of them were flung to the ocean floor. Then nothing.

Nyx opened his eyes. 

Oh, he thought. Oh.

In bits, in pieces. He saw more. Who knows how much time had passed, but the piece of the Regalia the crystal had kept, had regrown the Jaeger’s limbs. They were still hooked up to it. Their bond, their Drift, still fueling along her pathways. Noct’s fear, his plea, everything, it had risen their Jaeger. The Regalia had risen out of the Pacific and gone stalking to the Shatterdome.

Nyx felt a lump in his throat. The shaking. The Regalia was destroying the Shatterdome. _Noctis_ was destroying the Shatterdome. 

“Noct, this isn’t right. You know that. We both do.” Nyx brushed his thumbs at the corner of Noctis’ eyes. “We can’t stay like this.”

“But I want to be with you.”

“And you will. We will. But not like this, Noct. Please.”

Noctis roughly grabbed Nyx’s shirt collar. A look of panic fell over his face. “Nyx…”

Nyx smiled at him. He kissed under each of his co-pilot’s eyes. Noct had always had trouble not following the RABIT. It was one major reason Marshal Leonis had been so adamant about not letting Noctis into a Jaeger. Noct had gotten caught in the mother of all RABITs. 

Nyx could feel his fear like a familiar blanket. Fear of being by himself again, like when the kaiju had ripped into his home in Insomnia. The tense moments before his father could find him, the walls of his room nearly crushing his legs. The hope under it all. Gladio’s steady surety. Ignis’ soothing voice. Prompto’s infectious laughter. Nyx - Nyx’s unwavering loyalty. More and more and more; names and faces and people passing by and rushing over them. 

Nyx could feel Noctis’ grip loosening. He reached out to him through their bond. He held his hands out for Noct, took him by the tips of his fingers and then pressed their palms together. A million memories swirling past them. The two of them at the center of a hurricane. 

The rumbling outside stopped. 

When Nyx blinked again, he was met with a view of the ocean meeting the sky. The blue of his co-pilot’s eyes, like the beaches back home. Warmth swelled inside of him, fit to burst.  _ There he is _ , Nyx thought. Like a hum, he could feel Noct in his mind again. Their Drift was buzzing bright. One for the records, Nyx might say. He could feel Noctis' awe at feeling like himself, feeling Nyx’s feelings flooding between them. 

“We’ve got somewhere to be, Your Highness,” Nyx teased. “You ready?”

Noctis’ eyes sparkled with mirth. He kissed him again for the road.

“Always. Let’s go.”

Hand in hand, they fell. Falling, Nyx had said, was easy. When they came to, they were blinking through the eyes of their Jaeger. She pulled back from the ruined deck of the Shatterdome, sliding to stand in the bay. Inside the conn-pod, her two pilots were hand in hand, looking at each other from across the way. They held fast and hailed LOCCENT.

“Hey guys, did you miss us?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omen-ish Noctis ft. Corrupted Crystal and Jaeger. I tried a new-ish style for this one, so I wonder if everything works out okay. Please tell me what I can do to improve!
> 
> Mentions ignis a lot because i get emotional over how much ignis truly loves and cares for noct. Never seen NGE, but the gifs of the units with their mouths (?) open inspired the corrupted regalia jaeger, especially when it "eats" nyx.
> 
> verse 2 randomly came about the night before. I couldn't help 
> 
> **smoky voice** imagine how the Outsider sounds in Dishonored 2


	4. Chapter 4: Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Home
> 
> Nyx muses on what homes means after he and Noct survive closing The Breach. Pacific Rim AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pacific Rim AU again, but doesn't take place in the same timeline as the previous chapter. Here, Noct didn't get corrupted by the crystal and the breach.
>
>> __[Inspired by @aithilin’s](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17285351) Changes for Peace[  
>  ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20230201)
>> 
>> _  
>   
> [LunaUlric’s A Galahdian’s Proposal](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17285351)  
>   
> _  
> 

It never occurred to Nyx how much Noctis had changed in the years of the war.

In his mind’s eye, he was still the sullen but determined twenty-year-old he’d met. Even at twenty, the remaining hints of baby fat clinging to his cheeks, and the way he’d gelled up his hair nearly every day without fail, did nothing to hide the tired look that shadowed his eyes.

His cool exterior many had assumed had been borne of pride, Nyx had recognized as one created to shield. 

_Little had broken Noctis’ cool exterior then. A taciturn young ranger with too little to say, and a near permafrost on his shoulders. Nyx had learned first hand the cold fire that burned within the other man. They’d been pitted against each other in the Kwoon Combat Room following Libertus’ forced retirement._

_Noctis was good. Well trained, without a doubt. A protege not only of the Amiticia Family but rumor said that he’d even trained under Marshal Leonis himself._

_(The rumors had flown then. Of course someone with the best access to training and equipment would be at the level they were. Did Noctis even finish the academy on his own merits? Or had his name done all the pulling?)_

_It wasn’t as if Kaiju cared much for the level of someone’s birth. The world had gone to shit. Nyx wasn’t much for caring either. He’d swung down, intending to end the battle like all the others, stubborn in his conviction that none but Libertus could meet him at his level._

_Only -- Noctis had been a sleeping coeurl in disguise. Across the mat, he’d easily defended against Nyx’s strike. He gracefully spun out of the way of his attacks, managed to strike out some of his own, until the two of them had been matching staff blow after staff blow. Under the shadow of his long bangs, Noctis’ eyes had been electric. Nyx had hesitated too long, splintered under the heat of Noctis’ gaze, like a tree carved out by lightning in the forest. Noctis had forced him down on one knee, the tip of his chin tilted up as the bo staff sat inches from his throat._

_Nyx couldn’t help the grin after that. He’d grabbed the end of the bo staff and tugged the other man close. He’d lived in the way Noctis’ eyes had widened, until Nyx slung an arm over his shoulders._

_“Him. It has to be him. He’s my partner,” Nyx announced to Marshal Leonis. The answering scowl he got in return was nothing short of deadly. It was worth the venom he’d gotten when Noctis had come seeking him out not long after. The neutral shield shattering away to reveal the man Nyx was determined to have by his side._

The phantom ache where Nyx’s elbow should have been alerted him that it was raining. Briefly, he wondered how Noctis was holding up. Noctis’ knee gave him hell this time around. Rainy season in Galahd could last without fail for weeks. He’d argued with Noctis that he didn’t need to come to Galahd with him. The war was over, he didn’t have to be tied down to some old hero anymore. Noctis hadn’t taken his joke well. He scowled in that petulant way that always made Nyx cave on impact. Noctis had been adamant. They were a package deal. Nyx wasn’t allowed where Noctis couldn’t follow. 

Nyx hadn’t really understood it all. Noctis’ whole family was from Insomnia. Even with the pull of the drift between them, Nyx had assumed it wouldn’t outweigh the ache he had for home. Insomnia and Galahd were so vastly different.

The Galahd of his memories had always been big and sprawling. The humid heat that fell across the isles all year round. The way the blue and green of the land and sea became one. The distant sound of Galahdian coeurls. In the drift, he could see home clear as day. Feel every memory settling at the tip of his tongue. 

He’d entertained the idea of bringing Noctis home with him some nights in his room back at the Shatterdome. It seemed logical enough. Being Drift Compatible, in part, meant you went far beyond the realm of partner. At times, you were one. One body, one mind, one collection of memories. Noct was part of his memories now. He wanted the view in real time and not just something to promise himself in the face of terrible odds.

The drift let Nyx catch a fleeting glimpse of his old family home framed at Noctis’ back. But, he asked himself, what could Noctis possibly find so great about Galahd? 

Insomnia, even during the war, was a sight to behold. It was on a fast track to returning to its former glory. The Crown City, as it was called, heralding the new dawn for humanity. 

Nyx was pulled from his musings when he heard the front door open. Noctis’s dark head popped in through the bedroom door not long after. His hair was longer now, falling a little past his cheeks. He’d finally thrown out the hair gel at some point. Noctis held up a plastic bag full of takeout. 

“Hey, Hero," Noctis greeted. “I got your favorite.”

Nyx sat up on the bed - _their_ bed. Nyx wasn’t entirely sure how that had happened - and welcomed Noctis’ weight at his side. Noctis hissed as he drew his right leg up and over. Nyx had a pile of pillows ready for him to allow the leg to prop up. 

Noctis already had an old childhood injury from a Kaiju attack. Following the closing of the breach, Noctis had lost the leg from the knee down. State of the art as his prosthetic was, courtesy of Cindy, the aches that came with it never truly went away. Nyx’s own prosthetic was lying on the dresser. 

Noctis muttered a _thank you_ and pulled out a few skewers wrapped in tin foil. He handed one to Nyx as he settled back against him to eat his own. Nyx let his eyes travel down, taking note of his former partner. 

His jaw had gotten a little squarer over the years, his face a little more gaunt. Recovery was slow going for both of them, but they were pulling through. 

Ignis made sure to regularly call to check in.He was still partially running the Shatterdome, but it’d seemed he’d started asking Gladio for names. For restaurants that was. Libertus often accompanied them to physical therapy, updating Ignis to assuage the other man’s concerns. Crowe had been one of the few to not return to Galahad, instead having been whisked away with Cindy to set forth repairing as many cities as they could. Luna and Aranea followed not long after. 

Prompto stayed behind to be with Cor, sheepishly admitting that they were finally going to have that father-son bonding time they’d always wanted. Gladio and Iris had high-tailed it to Insomnia, right to their dad. Or dads, rather, if the wedding invitation for one Caelum-Amicitia wedding was anything to go by. Noctis still got rather embarrassed about that fact. It was fun to tease him about it most days. 

They’d all come out one way or another. Not completely whole, but together. Nyx himself felt changed. His hair was still largely the same, maybe longer than before. He’d begun playing around with how much he’d like to not shave. Lumberjack hadn’t gone over that well with Crowe and Libertus, but Noct hardly seemed to mind.

Noctis wore his bangs swept away from his face now, too. To Nyx, it was probably the biggest marker that he’d grown. Those eyes he’d loved, that had captured him that day across the Kwoon Training Room, were more mellow than stormy these days. Boyish in the face of what they’d endured. 

When he glanced down again, Nyx’s eye caught on something. He couldn't help the snort.

“Something funny?” Noctis said around a mouthful.

“Yeah. Didn’t know _you_ could grow facial hair. Go figure.” Nyx ran a teasing thumb against the burgeoning scruff on Noctis’ jaw. 

“I’m twenty-nine. It was bound to happen.” Noctis paused. He cut a quick look up to Nyx. “Is it bad?”

Nyx shook his head. “Didn’t say that. Makes you look a bit like your dad.”

Noctis was quiet for a moment. His tone was a little shy. “Which do you prefer?”

“Either, if you like it. I’m impartial to no scruff though.” 

Noctis nodded. “Yeah.” He took a bite of his skewer. “I prefer being able to feel yours more anyway.”

Nyx choked, too comfortable to shove the other man off.

_“So, Princeling, come here often?”_

_Noctis huffed, settling down next to Nyx on the ledge overlooking their new Jaeger. He had mourned his old girl, and the drift between him and Libertus that might have still been knocking around in her circuits. But he was also excited for the new one. Cindy and Prompto had come up with the idea to fuse Kingsglaive and Regalia together into one, unique robot. At her heart, sat a massive nuclear core. The paint was sleek black, tinged with dark purple accents. Across the massive arms was the profile of a skull, cradled by hawk’s wings. The insignia of the first Jaeger duo: Regis Lucis Caelum and Clarus Amicitia._

_“He gave you his old ride, huh,” Nyx muttered more to himself._

_Noctis shrugged. “She’s been through more battles than most Jaegers walk away from.”_

_“Good luck charm, then. Must be nice.”_

_Noctis bristled. His shoulders went rigid and his mouth a thin, solid line. Nyx could feel the walls rising up around the younger man. Nyx nudged him._

_“Didn’t mean it badly, Your Highness.” He ignored the indignant way Noctis frowned at the nickname. “Glad I’m not you. Shit, the_ Regalia _? You got a lot to live up to.”_

_“I know.”_

_There was a lot of emotion in that simple reply. The tired way he’d said it, like an unending record track that he couldn’t be bothered to stop. Regis Lucis Caelum and Clarus Amicitia set the bar high for_ all _rangers. He couldn’t imagine how much higher it was for his own son._

_Looking at the Regalia, watching her become less and less like the Jaeger of his childhood, Nyx couldn’t help the way his shoulders slumped. He moved his hand just shy of Noctis’, and leaned back._

_“Looks like your old man’s got a lot of faith in you, though.”_

_He continued, “Old girl’s a legend. Guess he figured you’d do him proud even if she’s out of date.”_

_"Says who? The Regalia's still standing, isn't she?”_

_Nyx cut Noctis a sideways grin. Under the impassive mask, there was a petty brat Nyx was dying to tease. “Well, shit's been getting a little tougher since she's been down. Good thing Glaive’s giving her the upgrade. Hope you both can keep up.”_

_Noctis would deny that it was a pout, but he pouted. He shifted closer to Nyx. “You watch and see, Hero.”_

“Are you still gonna shave your braids off?” Noct’s voice pulled Nyx from his thoughts. 

Nyx twirled the end of one braid. “Yeah. The war’s done now so there’s no need. Why? Gonna miss them?”

“Little bit.” Noctis leaned back against Nyx’s chest and reached up to run a hand through Nyx’s hair. "A new cut would suit you. I'll miss the beads, though.”

“Usually we repurpose them once the war is over. Like a commemoration. I just haven’t thought about what I wanted to make it into just yet.”

Noct hummed under his breath. They fell into an easy silence. The soft pelting of rain against the mesh of the opened window of their room filtered in between them. Nyx could feel his eyes drooping again. The soft smell of rain, the lingering scent of good food, and the feel of his former-partner were making for an inviting one way ticket back to sleep. Nyx had normally never been so lazy; it was Noct who could sleep just about anywhere, anytime. Maybe they’d shared more in the Drift than he’d thought.

“Would you let me have one?”

“Hm?”

“Whatever you make with your beads. Would you let me have a piece, too?”

Nyx pressed his cheek to the top of Noct’s head. He yawned around his words. “Didn’t realize you wanted one. But - yeah. Yeah. I’d love for you to.”

“Mm, good. You’re my partner after all.”

Nyx gave a lazy smile. “You gonna keep pulling that card?”

“It’s worked so far, so might as well.”

  
  


_Nyx could remember the ocean. Calm, quiet, empty. He looked around, eyes scanning the horizon as his heart squeezed up into his throat. He felt foreign outside of their Jaeger. He kept thinking Noct’s name in his mind, willing him to reply. Nothing came, just the lapping of the ocean against his escape pod. Nyx gripped his hair tightly, ignoring Scientia’s voice in the comm trying to get his attention. His whole body hurt, he could barely feel one of his arms._

_To the side, something breached the surface. Nyx could hear his breathing loudly in his own ears. Another pod._

_“Noctis!” Nyx yelled, diving before he thought better of it._

_He parted through the water with everything he had. Muscles screaming, still aching from the burn of their Jaeger pulling against his whole body; the muscles of his body still remembering Noctis to its core. He had yet to notice the way one of his arms was barely responding, too focused on the pod before him. He collided up against the pod, scrambling up on top of it. Blindly, he felt around until the casing released._

_Inside, his partner lay still. Tentatively, Nyx reached inside. He grazed Noct’s cheek, trying to swallow down the panic burning into him. He cupped the other man’s cheek. “Noct...hey, I know you like to sleep, but this -” Nyx swallowed heavily. His voice was the ocean, roiling uneasy and deep.“You’re timing is so shitty.”_

_Noctis didn’t move. Nyx yanked Noctis out, pulling him up against him. He cradled the back of Noctis’ head, pressing his face into his neck._

_Damned, self-sacrificing idiot. Not that Nyx was much better. At the last second, Noctis had just been that moment faster. Or else their roles might have been reversed. Two damn big idiots, ready to risk it all._

_When Nyx had told him how little he saw his life in the grand scheme of things, how he had been fighting tooth and nail for a future for others, he’d always imagined Noctis in it. (Noctis had always looked so vehemently upset, a scowl on his face, and a choice word to say. ‘We’re Partners, idiot. Where you go, I go. Can’t change my mind.). Noctis, young and bright, smiling freely past the burden of his father’s legacy, of the Kaiju invasion, into the dawn. Maybe Nyx would never make it, half the new Regalia taken into Galahad’s seas. But Noct, he was definitely destined for better._

_If he could wish for anything, it would be to walk next to Noctis again._

_Nyx pressed his face into the curve of his partner’s neck. “Don’t do this to me, kid. You can’t leave me here without you.”_

_“...You’re squeezing too tight.”_

_Nyx froze. He held Noct out at arms-length, searching the sheepish, exhausted face looking back at him. A wobbly but sure smile came across Noctis’ face. “Hey, Hero. Miss me?”_

_“What the actual hell, Noctis!” Nyx laughed around a cry. “Who the hell do you think you are, here?”_

_“The Hero, I guess. Or one of them, anyway.” Noct splayed his palm open onto Nyx’s chest plate._

_“Hey. Sorry to keep you waiting like that.” Noct’s smile was gentle, it was Nyx’s._

_“You’re worth it. Trust me.”_

_Noct leaned forward, and Nyx met him halfway until their foreheads pressed together. In the background, Gladio was calling their names. Nyx couldn’t help but think, this is where I’m meant to be._

Oh, Nyx thought. _Oh_. 

Nyx hadn’t even realized when he’d stopped thinking, _I want to return to Galahd_ and instead had started thinking _I want to be where Noctis is._

He'd thought the yearning had ended there. 

Humid nights spent by the seaside, chasing the shadow of mountain tales. The massive coeurl that turned into the sprawling mountain chain; the gentle night that took Galahd into her hands; the hot touch of the year round heat familiar across his skin. Home as he’d known it.

Yet - yet, Nyx wasn't picturing Galahd when he thought of returning somewhere. In the conn-pod of Chosen King, Nyx could be back for a brief moment. With Libertus by his side, Galahd was alive and well. With Noct - with Noct - 

Noctis’ eyes turned to crescents when he allowed himself to smile so openly, so freely. Noctis pressed up against his back, uncaring of how hot their combined heat made things when they slept. Noctis hunching his shoulders to his ears in embarrassment. Noctis setting those lazy blue eyes at him from across the room. Noctis leaning his chin into his hand, dark hair spilling around Nyx in the quiet moments before dawn.

It was everything he’d been chasing in the Drift.

The Drift may have sheltered their tether, forged it to steel, but it was the two of them that had made something long-lasting of it. 

Noctis had said that he didn’t want Nyx to go where he couldn’t follow. Nyx thought, I don’t want to return to anywhere but him. 

“Hey, Noct,” Nyx called. He ran his fingers through the ends of Noctis’ hair. “Don’t you ever miss home?”

Noct shrugged. “My dad’s been bugging to visit Insomnia lately, but no. I’m already home. I’ve got everything I need.”

Nyx grinned, feeling stupidly happy. He gave a gentle tug on the other man’s hair and pulled Noct’s head back. He pressed a kiss on the corner of Noct’s lips, knocking their foreheads together. Noct hummed, eyes crinkling in contentment.. Nyx thought it was a good look on him.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very much inspired by Aithilin and LunaUlric's fics! I hope you don't mind :). If it's a problem please feel free to tell me. I'd rather you be comfortable first.


	5. Chapter 5: Status Effect (Stasis)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nyx learns a lesson in humility. In two versions!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> age swap! 30 King Noct & 20 Rookie Nyx. I couldn't resist having two versions. Just to embarrass Nyx looool

Before Nyx was the warping expert that he was, he was a young dumb ass who’d once warped straight into a wall face first, and had also proceeded to vomit all over Drautos’ shoes not long after. All in succession of boasting to said Captain that warping was “no big deal”.

It wasn’t a time he was proud of. It was often long forgotten by most - except maybe Crowe and Libertus, but fuck them anyway - and that was how Nyx liked it. He wasn’t particularly egotistical, but he was far from unconfident. Everything Nyx boasted of, he could bring to the table, two-fold and more. But every once in a while, the Astrals themselves seemed to like to remind Nyx of his hubris. They’d been kind before - or as kind as a bunch of gods who largely seemed rather blase about humans could be - but today they’d probably wanted Nyx to _feel_ the lesson.

At twenty-years-old, and with an ancient magical royal line, and a natural affinity to bonding with the Crystal, Prince Noctis should have been out-warping them all. As it stood, however, even he needed the occasional remedial lesson. He’d been getting lazy and sloppy, Amicitia the Younger had said. Too used to relying on cheap phasing and tricks rather than be tactical in his fighting. Gladiolus had come to Nyx as a last resort, fed up with His Highness, and nursing something of a smug undertone when he’d asked him.

“You don’t gotta ream his ass or anything,” Gladio said. Nyx resisted the urge to laugh. He’d been harboring a too deep crush on the Prince himself. An embarrassing little thing that made him feel almost foolish. He could push it down on the best of days. “Just outpace him a bit. Knock his pride if you gotta. Then kick his ass and get him to do better.”

Nyx did laugh then, though. “All right, all right. You can count on me.”

“How’s five am sound?”

Nyx grinned. “Cruel, but I like it. Can’t say I envy you. You’ll be dragging him here, then?”

Gladio rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “As if he’d get here otherwise.”

Nyx blamed the swell of pride he’d felt that day. And maybe his crush. He’d waited until Gladio had left before he’d grinned stupidly to himself, excited despite his reservations. He’d fully planned on wowing the Prince. That neutral, cold mask of his thawing to awe at Nyx’s abilities. He’d pinpointed that as the first misstep.

The second misstep had been overexerting himself. All the while berating the Prince about doing so himself.

“Careful, now!” Nyx jeered. “You extend too much of your magic and you’ll end up - _hurgk_ -”

His magic fizzled out, locking along his joints and muscles like an iceberg to the system. Noctis blinked, before a flash of blue sparkles was all that was left of him, before he’d appeared at Nyx’s side a second later. Nyx tumbled into his arms as Noctis grunted to try and support his weight.

With a grunt of effort, Noctis met Nyx’s eyes and cocked an eyebrow in question. When Nyx shrugged, Noctis narrowed his eyes at him, mouth screwing up in something of an indignant pout.

“What was it you were going to say? Or I’ll…?”

Nyx shot him a self-assured grin. “End up falling. Like I just did, right into your arms.”

Noctis coughed. “Excuse me?”

“I’m saying, I’ve fallen for you, Your Highness.” Nyx let his eyebrows jump high up on his temple for good measure, hoping it distracted the Prince from the obvious sound of his heart pounding a mile a minute in his chest.

Noctis rolled his eyes with such vigor his head had lolled with the motion.

“Don’t make me drop you, Ulric.”

Still, he hadn’t pushed Nyx away. He shuffled until he was kneeling on the ground, gently bringing Nyx down with him. Noctis laid one leg crooked against the ground to cradle Nyx’s head and bent the other up at the knee. He hung an arm over his knee and hummed under his breath.

“I guess this means, even the Hero of Insomnia fucks up.” Noctis huffed a laugh. “It’s kind of reassuring to know you’re so human.”

“What did you think I was? A coeurl?”

Noctis shrugged. “Dunno. Crystal, warping, magic. It’s all pretty wild when you think about it. At least to the average person. Cor’s probably as immortal as they say. Who knows, maybe you’re hiding a tail under there?”

Noctis rarely said more than standards stuff to most of the Glaives, much less most of the Citadel. At some point he’d moved out, and he’d spent a majority of the time within the city rather than the Palace. Catching more than a generic good morning or awkward response was uncommon. Nyx felt endeared to think he might have been comfortable enough around him.

“Who knew you could talk so much,” Nyx mused. “I like it. You say this much to every guy who falls for you?”

To Nyx’s great surprise, Noctis ducked his head, laughing almost shyly. His bangs fell, just about covering the view of his pretty face. Nyx couldn’t help the smile that came over him.

Noctis flicked him on the forehead. “Just the _Heroes_.” He cleared his throat, definitely blushing. “Or, a specific one at least.”

“Good to know. Tell me, you into Galahdian food?”

“Like those skewers? Yeah. Ignis tried to do them a few times but he makes them all fancy.”

“Nothing beats the real deal, let me let you.” Nyx cleared his throat. “How ‘bout I repay you for saving my pride?”

Noctis grinned. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

-

**Verse 2**

-

There are probably a couple of good reasons why things happened the way they did. The stars not aligning, rotations, and probably, to his friends’ favorite reasoning, his scruffy excuse for a beard. Noctis thought that maybe idiots just always found a way to come together. More aptly he thought the best reasoning of all was just to blame Gladio.

Noctis wasn’t sure if idiot was the right word to describe Nyx Ulric, but he figured he’d have more time to muse on all the words that _could_ describe him when he’d got the young glaive across from him at dinner later.

It happened like this: Noct didn’t feel like shaving that morning. It was a rare day without issue. Or, most issues. No dire meetings, no potential international guests, no screaming matches with Ravus over petty things. He could, essentially, have slept in. He didn’t. Gladio hadn’t let him.

At six-thirty AM, Gladio had come busting into the new King’s rooms. He’d loudly cleared his throat and made a mock bow to a sleepily blinking Noctis from the doorway of his room.

“Your _Majesty_ ,” Gladio said, drawing out the words. “I’ve got word you’re off today.”

Noctis still hadn’t fully gotten used to being called Majesty. Around three months after his 30th birthday, it had been decided that Noctis was ready to assume the throne. Not long after that, his coronation had happened. His father had all but up and left as soon as he’d sat at the throne. With Clarus at his side, they’d taken the Regalia to harass Cid, and needle Weskham out to join them. Only by the skin of his teeth had Cor escaped the impromptu road trip. That was five months ago.

Former King Regis had recently learned and gotten into selfies. He took them too close and at awkward angles, but the smile lighting up his worn face was worth the barrage of messages Noctis got throughout the day. It was nice to see his father so youthful and lively. Meanwhile, all Noctis felt was bone-tiredness and a dwindling will to live.

Noctis pulled his blankets over his head, hoping Gladio got the message. He didn’t.

“If you know what day it is for me, then you’ll know what I intend to _do_ , Shield Amicitia.”

Gladio snorted. “Yeah, waste the day away.”

“It’s called _resting_. Seeing as I bust ass every other day.”

“Yeah, no. As your Shield and someone who loves you very much,” He gave Noctis a pointed look. “I’m stepping in. When was the last time you trained, huh? Did some light workouts besides the usual physio we do at night?”

Truth be told, his physical therapy and walking around the Citadel were as much Noctis had had time for. He wasn’t about to tell Gladio that.

“So, none.” Gladio clicked his tongue. He sat at the edge of Noct’s bed, pulling the blankets away to smirk down Noctis’ scowling face. “Don’t be like that. Got a lot of new recruits for the Glaive. It would be bad if they thought their King was some couch potato.”

“It’s called a Dad bod, Gladio.” Gladio rolled his eyes. Went unsaid was the kitten (and Prompto) probably keeping Ignis company in his office at the moment. Noctis’ new pet, and affectionately dubbed Heir to the Throne. Regis often referred to the kitten as his grandchild to add to the joke.

Gladio grabbed Noctis by the front of his sleep shirt, still way too strong for Noctis’ immediate liking, as he hauled him up and out of bed. Noctis bitched through the whole endeavor, until Gadio had to end up dressing him. When the he’d been fitted into his workout clothes, and his knee snug in its brace, Gladio clapped him on the shoulder.

“C’mon, Dad Bod, we’re getting some warm ups in, hup to! Four laps around the Citadel.”

Noctis groaned. “Gladioooo.”

By the time they were done, Noctis had vowed to destroy every single cup noodle housed in the Citadel. He let Gladio usher him into the training grounds. Inside, there was already someone practicing. Noctis belatedly recognized it as the young Glaive giving Drautos hell.. The Hero of Insomnia, as he’d been recently dubbed, was a twenty-year old prodigy that had taken to the Crystal’s magic almost as imperceptibly as a Lucis Caelum.

Nyx Ulric stood tall for his age, still a bit gangly, but the burgeoning definition filling along him was evident. The sides of his hair were shorn into an undercut, the top mostly sweeping back, with a few stray hairs falling over his forehead, and ending just shy of the back of his skull. Noctis wondered if he’d grow it out long enough into the traditional Galahdian style. Noctis glanced away, collecting himself as Gladio approached the younger man with a wave and a yell.

The younger man’s face lit up, giving a hurried bow to the two of them. Gladio patted him on the shoulder, pointing to the kukris in his hand.

“You’re getting good, kid. I’m impressed.” Gladio didn’t hand compliments out so easily, certainly not when he was training Noctis. He knew his Shield meant it, and that it spoke volumes of Nyx in turn.

“Thanks. I’m thinking of challenging Cor one of these days, maybe I’ll learn something,” Came Nyx’s cheeky reply. The youthful arrogance made Noctis snort, endearing in and of itself. Noctis could already imagine Cor’s exasperation.

Nyx looked around Gladio’s unfairly wide body, surprised to see Noctis. He cocked a brow, “Who’s your friend? I haven’t seen him around.”

A confused look passed over both of them. Gladio made to tell him as Noctis came around and rested a hand to his Shield’s arm. “You can call me Noct. Gladio and I go way back.” He held a hand out for Nyx.

Nyx took it, grinning at him. “Hey, I’m Nyx.” He motioned to the weapons wrack. “You gettin’ in some practice, too?”

“Yeah, _Noct_ ’s been slacking lately. He could definitely use the time.” Gladio snapped his fingers. “Actually, Ulric, you mind sparring a bit with this guy? I think he’d be a good challenge for you.”

Nyx grinned wolfishly, twirling his kukris. His eyes were a bright blue. “I don’t mind at all. I just hope your friend can keep up.”

Gladio laughed and shoved Noctis to the weapons wrack. “You heard the kid. Show him how it’s done.”

Noctis chose a sword, swinging it around himself in a show of mastery. It worked as he thought; Nyx’s face grew bright with it, falling into stance with barely concealed excitement. Noctis readied his sword. At his periphery, Gladio reclined against the wall, grin shit-eating.

Nyx made a similar face. “Let’s see what you’ve got!” He yelled before he was disappearing into a warp. Noctis blinked, only just catching the kukri aimed at him in a well-timed block as Nyx appeared again before him.

Nyx whistled, pushing down against his blade. When Noctis gave no give, he jumped back, eyes sparkling mischievously. Nyx took a big step, arms crossing over each other, before he brought the twin kukris down in fluid succession. Noctis blocked, grunting with effort to parry each unrelenting hit. He side-stepped, swinging his sword in time to slice the ends of Nyx’s hair as the younger man bent back and slid out of the way.

“So you’ve got moves after all, huh?” Nyx jeered.

Noctis smirked, momentarily leaving himself open to shrug. “If only you knew.” With a yell, he threw his sword, and warped behind Nyx.

Nyx gasped, whirling around to catch Noctis’ blade with his kukris crossed. Noctis readjusted his stance, pushing down at the angle Gladio had taught him until Nyx’s knee threatened to buckle.

“Shit, so you can warp huh? Not even Gladio can do that. You were a part of the old King’s army or something?”

“Or something,” Noctis teased.

Nyx clicked his tongue. He lowered the kukris, letting Noctis close in on him before quickly twisting and aiming a sweeping kick for Noctis’ ankles. Noctis stumbled back, not as gracefully as he’d like. He only narrowly avoided the way Nyx threw himself at him with a phase.

“We can do that?” The younger man gasped. “Holy shit!”

  
“Well,” Noctis laughed. He blocked, parried, met each of Nyx’s blows for one himself. There was something to be said about his stamina.

Noctis catapulted forward, moving through a succession of strikes that drove the Nyx’s heels back against the dirt. He drove the other man onto the defensive, as his face went red with exertion. Noctis couldn’t help the shit-eating grin painted across his face.

Frustrated, Nyx gritted his teeth and warped out. A flash of blue met Noctis’ periphery as the other man appeared at his blind-spot. Noctis turned, blocking before trying to swing. He hit empty air; the hairs at the back of his neck tickling as Nyx warped again, diving for his other side. Noctis blocked again, cut around to strike only to meet nothing again.

On and on it went. If Noctis didn’t block, he phased, senses following all the signs of Nyx’s warp. The sound of chimes, the smell of faint ozone, the sparkle of blue dancing at his eye. Noctis had to hand it to Nyx, he was _good_. When he’d grown tired of defending, Noctis threw his blade, meeting Nyx head on until their blades scraped. The tip of Noctis’ sneakers hit dirt before he was launching again, sliding the length of his blade across both of Nyx’s kukris.

Nothing but showers of blue and the sound of metal hitting metal could be heard. Noctis felt alive with it, muscles aching, and magic humming full and alive. The call of the Crystal in Nyx echoed back, just as excited.

Only, Nyx hadn’t been warping nearly as long as Noctis had. Noctis smirked, side-stepping out, and stabbing his sword into the ground. When Nyx reappeared again, he stopped mid-strike, alarm coloring his face as his body all but locked up and he was pitching forward. Noctis caught him, cradling him against his chest. Nyx had practically fainted into his arms, pliant as a lovestruck damsel.

“Hey there, Hero,” Noctis said with a triumphant grin. “Looks like I win.”

Nyx looked mortified, and turned his gaze away with a petulant downward turn of his mouth. “Yeah, looks like you did.”

Noctis made to compliment Nyx when Gladio approached laughing raucously. He ruffled Nyx’s hair to the younger man’s chagrin, and fixed them both with a look.

“Gotta hand it to you, kid, you definitely did what I asked.” Gladio sent Noctis _a look_. “What do you think, Your Majesty?”

Nyx stiffened in his arms, eyes growing wide. Noctis cleared his throat, looking sheepishly down at the young glaive. “Impressive. I can see why you earned the nickname Hero. You’ve got a long, successful future ahead of you, Ulric.”

“Y-You’re --?”

Noctis tugged at the stray bang that fell in front of his face. “That would be me, yeah.”

“Oh, no,” Came the tiny, panicked reply. “Drautos is gonna murder me.”

Gladio busted out in a guffaw, helping Noctis right Nyx onto his legs. The status effect wearing off. Noctis spared him some sympathy, resting a hand to his shoulder.

“Don’t sweat it, he doesn’t have to know.” Noctis felt an idea form. “But if you’d like to hide from him for a bit, I wouldn’t mind company for lunch…?”

“Uh, lunch, Your Majesty?”

“Yeah. Consider it a reward for helping me...train.”

Nyx nodded, relief breaking out on his face as he nodded. Noctis smiled. Gladio shook his head good-naturedly and lead them out of the training grounds. Straggling a bit behind were Nyx and Noctis. Noctis nudged his companion with his shoulder. He spared him a quick glance.

“When we’re alone, feel free to call me Noct.”

Nyx chuckled. “All right, Noct.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do you guys know anymore age swap fics for nyxnoct *eye emojis* please send them my way


	6. Day 6: Secret Relationship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Nyx can’t get enough of his Glaive.

Noctis had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes when the Prince’s Advisor, Crowe Altius, had come to inform him that Prince Nyx had requested his presence. She barely looked convinced herself while telling him, peppering the message with an eye-roll. 

“So, when you’re done with your rotation, his... _ Highness _ , would like it if you could come and discuss some minor security details he’s been pondering on,” Crowe intoned.

Noctis did the work of giving a simple nod, like a good soldier. “Of course, Lady Altius.”

It was something of a well-known secret amongst the Prince’s close inner circle. Prince Nyx Ulric, heir to the Kingdom of Galahd, fancied a scrawny Lucian glaive, and would use any old excuse for them to run into one another. The Prince’s father seemed privy to the fact, but otherwise ignored it if they kept it quiet. Noctis wasn’t about to give the King a reason to kick his ass. Even if Nyx was worth it. 

Crowe fixed Noctis with a look. A beat passed before she slugged him in the arm. “Do me a favor and do something about him. Lib and I can only take his whining so much.”

Noctis let himself smile. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Three hours later until when his shift ended, Noctis was gathering his stuff in the locker rooms for the Glaive. Gladio whacked him in the back with his towel, a trail of steam following him. Not far behind were Prompto and Ignis. 

“Aren’t you off duty by now?” Gladio asked.

Noctis shrugged. “His Highness wants to have a word with me before I leave.”

Prompto’s brows jumped, a smirk on his face. “A word, huh? What kind of wooord?”

Noctis rolled his eyes with a shake of his head, pretending to hide his grin. “Dunno. Something about a security detail. I’ll know more when we speak.”

Ignis hummed, neatly taking his civilian clothes off the hangers in his locker. “Granted you two manage to get a word out beforehand.”

Prompto and Gladio laughed. Noctis couldn’t help musing how much of a 180 things had gone with his friends. They were some of the only Lucians serving in the Galahdian army. It was natural they’d be so tight-knit. When Ignis had caught whiff of the Prince’s interest, he and Gladio had swiftly and firmly advised against Noct being charmed by him. Prompto had argued that at best, Noctis could find a good friend in the Prince. 

There had been a bit of an assurance that Noctis’ general impassiveness about anything remotely romantic would suffice. But then Prince Nyx had to go and surprise Noctis with a home-cooked Lucian meal after asking him to come chat about some inane thing or other. He’d sheepishly rested his hands in what looked to be a rather worn apron, on a little table. 

It wasn’t that his friends had worried that Prince Nyx was using Noctis for a passing fling, it was that the earnest Prince might actually get past Noctis’ walls and they’d be causing a scandal like no other. It had happened anyway, over a plate of grilled barramundi, chickatrice leg, rice, and a side of fries. With his glaive jacket hanging off the back of the chair, and the Prince’s eyes crinkled affectionately across from him, Noctis had let himself fall.

Long-winded lecture aside, Prince Nyx had sat down beside Noctis as a mob consisting of Libertus, Crowe, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto, went back and forth over their relationship, until Nyx had declared his intentions and Noctis had steadfastly agreed. The sincerity had won over both sides, and an easy friendship amongst both sides had grown. 

“You guys headed to Behemoth, then?” Noctis asked casually.

It was a usual hang out for all of them, even with the Prince when he was dolled up in his plain clothes. A homely little bar that even earned Ignis’ high praise for the well crafted drinks. It had become easily under their influence. From Ignis not-so-subtly sliding recipe cards to the cook, Prompto’s photography littering the walls, and Gladio’s influence in spreading the word, Behemoth was their oasis. Noctis might have liked to go if he didn’t want to spend alone time with Nyx so much. 

“Yeah, finally convinced Yamachen to try out cup noodles on the menu,” Gladio said, turning a shit-eating grin to Ignis.

The scowl he got in return made them all laugh. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Noctis waved his friends off, and made his way towards the Prince’s quarters. He kept his head down when he passed by the odd maid or two. When he reached the door, he knocked twice, paused then again. Behind the door, Prince Nyx’s smiling face greeted him. 

“Took you long enough,” Nyx joked, taking Noctis’ coat from him. He ushered him further into his room, catching Noctis’ clothes as he stripped and changed into more comfortable ones. 

“Got caught up with the guys, sorry,” Noctis said, not at all sorry.

“Braggin bout me?”

“Complaining. About how I could be at home by now, but His Highness still needed me past my working hours.”

Noctis rolled his shoulders. He eyed Nyx’s bed, contemplating if he could get a nap in before they had dinner together. 

Nyx quirked a brow and lip to match, arms crossed where he leaned against the doorway. “That so?”

“Yep. So...security detail?”

Nyx shrugged. “Assassin’s Festival in Lestallum is coming up. Was thinking of heading there and needed an entourage. Can’t leave everything to Lib and Crowe.”

Noctis’s eyes widened, previous sleepiness abandoned. “Wait - You mean  _ the  _ festival?”

Nyx’s grin grew. “Yep. I still need to get some costumes, but it shouldn’t be hard.” He came over to the bed, dropping heavily upon it, twiddling his thumbs between his legs. “Whaddya say? You down?”

Noctis tackled Nyx against the bed. He locked his knees around Nyx’s sides and let gravity let him flop over. “Are you kidding?” Came his muffled voice. “I’d trade my left nipple to go!”

Nyx laughed, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his face into Noctis’ chest. “Good. Make sure to tell Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto to be ready to head out in a month.”

Noctis pulled back, eyes sparkling. His voice was an awed hush. “You’re so sexy right now.”

Nyx propped his chin upon his palm, smirking. “Glad I can still keep your eye.”

“Dummy. It’s more than that. You know that right?”

Nyx took his hand and kissed along each palm, smiling at the way Noctis grew embarrassed and pleased. “Yeah, I know. So! Brought anything for me?”

Noctis looked towards the ceiling, brows quirked, before he was sliding his gaze back to Nyx and grinning. “Yeah, actually.” 

He bent and kissed Nyx along the corner of his mouth, peppering along his jaw, over his stubble, before pressing against his lips with enough vigor to topple the prince again. When Noctis pulled back, Nyx took an extra second to open his eyes. He was hazy and content, bringing a hand to curl into his lover’s hair.

“You always know what I want.” Noctis kissed him again just for that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of wanted Drautos to be his dad/king but then I needed a moment to myself to imagine that


	7. Day 7: AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis is in Galahd on Assassin's business, but he can't help but be distracted by local sights. Assassin's Creed-ish AU.

Noctis could hear his inner Gladio clear as day as he made his way to the Golden Coeurl. He resisted the urge to wince when he ducked his head down as a pair of Niff sentries passed him on the street. Everyone around him did much the same. 

The Golden Coeurl was a bar deep in Templar territory.  _ At least for now _ , he thought to himself. But it didn’t negate the risk that came with wandering into the place. The citizens of the town were doing about as best as they could, given they were being choked by corrupt governing bodies. Some supplanted Niff masquerading as an elected official in Galahdian territory. Any dissent against his position was met swiftly with retaliation. Life found a way under the tiny town’s “new management” but Noctis could feel the dampened spirits hanging over them.

That was part of the reason Noctis and his crew were there. Only, they were meant to do a  _ bit _ more recon. Recon was Noctis’ least favorite part. His Inner Ignis gave a sigh when he entered the bar, eyes immediately landing on the bartender cleaning out a row of glasses. Noctis was out of uniform today. All the better to blend in with. His inner Prompto was already telling him what line he could use when he caught the bartender’s eye as he slid onto a stool before him. 

Nyx Ulric, the bartender, had a smile ready for Noctis. He abandoned the glasses with a flourish of throwing the towel over his shoulder. 

“What’s going on? Been a hot minute,” Nyx said. He crossed his arms on the counter top and hunched so that he was eye level with Noctis. He tilted his head in a show of confident coyness. Noctis glanced away and back, hoping to gather himself in that millisecond.

“Yeah. Been, uh, been busy, you know?”

“No, but you can tell me about it. The usual?” Noctis nodded, throat a little dry.

Noctis ignored the Gladio and Iggy voices that became upset that he  _ had a usual _ on a mission. Nyx grinned, then winked as he turned his back for a moment. He reached for a clean glass and slid it before Noctis. He took out a can of cherry soda from under the bar and opened it, before pouring it in. Nyx pushed it to him with a gentle push of his index finger.

Noctis knocked it back too quickly, trying not to pay attention to the way Nyx had come back to hunch in front of him, chin cradled into the palm. 

“Well, uh. I’m here on business, you could say.” Not a total lie. “But the person we’re supposed to be negotiating with keeps ghosting us on our demands.” Close enough. 

“Business, huh?” Nyx whistled. “Not a lot of big businesses around here.”

“Oh, no, uh, up at Eight Rivers? Yeah. I kind of got fed up after the last two -- meetings and kind of found myself...here.”

Nyx cocked a brow. “An hour and a half away?”

Noctis wasn’t going to admit that he’d just about gotten lost that first night in Galahd and had wound up at the Golden Coeurl, where he’d all but fallen head over heels for the kind bartender who had offered him a soda for his very clear troubles. The same bartender that had gotten him to like cherry soda in the first place. The same bartender he’d been finding excuses to go see by doing recon outside of Eight Rivers  _ just in case _ Ulldor had any secret business going on. 

Nyx Ulric, the bartender.

Noctis gulped down his soda again, mumbling a  _ yeah _ as he did so. Nyx laughed, shaking his head. He scratched the top of his head, eyes darting all over Noctis. 

“That impressed with the place huh? They not have cherry soda where you come from?”

They definitely had cherry soda in Insomnia. But that was one of the things he couldn’t really go spilling. No past, no origins, not even a fingerprint. Typical Assassin shit, as it were. He gave Nyx a noncommittal shrug instead. 

“Maybe not as good as here.”

“Good to know. I’ll be happy to serve you any time you come by.” Noctis hoped the glass wasn’t cracking in his grip. He’d drank the whole thing and still felt way too thirsty. “You sure you only want soda?”

“You got other things to offer?” Nyx’s grin turned downright wolfish then. 

The shift of Nyx’s eyes to the back door was too tempting. Inner Iggy was having a fit. Inner Gladio...he’d gotten a little less naggy. Definitely a bad idea getting attached. Noctis rarely did the no strings thing all that well. Especially not charming, Galahdian bartenders who made him feel like he’d been roasting on the beach, and pulled out to tide. 

Nyx held out his hand. Noctis didn’t even think all that hard before he took it. Nyx called to another guy coming out of the backroom as he led Noctis away. Libertus rolled his eyes, but waved him off without a second glance.

Not far away, two buildings and up a flight of stairs, Nyx had crowded Noctis against the back of his front door, dropped to his knees and made Noctis gasp into the muggy, darkness of his empty apartment. Noctis had often wondered about what his hair had felt like, running his fingers through the long strands and along the braids, fiddling with the beads as his knees nearly buckled.

Later, when Nyx had rolled off his lap, the two of them sweaty and exhausted, Noctis couldn’t help but sleepily think  _ shit. I’m in so much trouble. _ The thought quickly fled his empty fucking brain when Nyx pulled him up onto his chest, and pressed a tender kiss to his forehead. Noctis gave a deeply contented sigh, hand settling on the hair across Nyx’s chest and thought it was worth it to have both Gladio and Iggy kick his ass while Prompto compiled photographic evidence in the  _ Things Noctis Wasn’t Supposed To Do _ book. 

Well, it could wait until after a quick nap. Nyx’s hand felt perfect on the curve of his hip. 

-

Eight Rivers sat as the biggest town in the Northern Island of Galahd. Known for its vibrant flora and rich beaches, it was framed by towering mountains that made for a beautiful backdrop to get lost in.

Around it were smaller towns, boasting their own local flair that couldn't be ignored. Each of the Isles had a bit of uniqueness. Their own dialects, their own spin on the yearly Carnival and the well known skewers Noctis had enjoyed at the Assassin’s Bureau, courtesy of their host, Pelna. 

Still, Noctis only had eyes for one person and almost reluctantly he got redressed. They both had jobs to return to. Noctis' phone was probably overflowing with messages. He declined a quick meal in favor of sitting in Nyx’s apartment a little longer, enjoying a fleeting normalcy.

Before they parted in the alley, Nyx pulled Noctis in for a slow, soft kiss. He murmured, "Come back again soon."

His friends were going to kill him, but Noctis found himself agreeing. 

With only a hint of shame, he returned to base and Ignis' severely disapproving glare. Regardless, when recon had been done and their game plan coming along, no one stopped him from disappearing again into a cab to his new favorite bar.

-

Noctis had been distracted before, but he found time in the days following to discover and trace each and every one of Nyx’s tattoos. The ones on his cheek, his back shoulder blade, the jagged one like a scar on his ring finger. He kissed along each, especially the constellation of Leviathan on his neck, and let Nyx tattoo his fingerprints all over his body. 

The hidden blade nestled in the conspicuous bracelet, tucked away with his simple hoodie, lay forgotten on Nyx’s floor for a few hours each day. Noctis thought he should feel more guilty, but he couldn’t find it in himself either way. Especially when Nyx got up and made him spicy grilled fish and sweet dumplings. 

It was wild how easily he’d come to feel comfortable in Nyx’s home. Every wall held a memory pinned to it. Photos, trinkets, a flag of Galahd, a prayer to Leviathan (typical of all households). Twin kukris hung on one wall, the handles worn but well loved. 

Long, boring hours spent watching Templars passing on rooftops met Noctis daydreaming of being back there. It was one of the few places he’d thought felt truly like home after growing up in the off grid Assassin homestead they’d called The Citadel.

He’d learned bits and pieces of Nyx’s life. Learned that he often kept weird hours now and then, especially of late. He was easy to talk to and he knew nearly everyone in one capacity or another. He blended well; like a blade in the crowd, Ignis might have said. Able to weave and merge, the rare times he’d managed to wrangle Noctis from his bed for a quick grocery run. Noctis hadn’t realized how much he’d craved domestic life until he’d been a second pair of arms for everything Nyx was packing into them. 

Noctis had made his peace with the life he was going to lead, what his family’s history meant. Twirling Nyx’s braid between his fingers made him weak in the quiet of the room, though. Just for a moment.

Every day they got closer to retching Ulldor and the Niffs from power from the Northern Isle, the more Noctis dreaded the inevitable. He tucked himself in Nyx’s arms a little more each time. 

-

With Ulldor defeated, and the local Galahdian Assassin's Branch finally able to get a foot hole into purging Niff influence, Noctis had thought he deserved reward. He was antsy the moment they'd returned to base, knee bouncing as everyone exchanged drinks and cheers and sloshed around ideas for liberating the other isles from under Niff command. They would stay in Galahd a little longer, but they’d be moving on from the Northern Isle soon enough. Noct bounded his knee harder. Gladio was the one to press Noct's knee still, shooting him a wry look.

"That good, huh?"

Noctis took a sip. "Yeah."

Gladio rolled his eyes. "And they call  _ me _ a slut."

"You  _ are _ a slut. Prompto already told me you slept with Pelna, shut up."

Gladio shoved him playfully, nearly sending him sprawling to the floor. Impatience aside, Noctis felt good. He looked out at the room of his fellow Assassins. From all of Eos they had come, to defend the people. Ignis was even flush against a wall, crowded in by one of the Niff-based Assassins, Aranea, and looking perfectly fine caught in her clutches. 

Noctis had resented his lifestyle early on. He'd lost a good chunk of his childhood to assassin's training. His father was often too busy extolling the virtues of their creed and saving other people, to watch his son grow up. He'd gotten over it, they both had. An explosive argument while they’d raided a Templar base had ended with a double victory. Noctis and his father mending a slowly fraying bridge, and Noctis’ first major mission. Noct took his mantle with pride after the liberation of Lestallum. 

Didn't mean Noctis wasn't going to enjoy as much life as he could if he was to forever be a nameless shadow under starlight. Or whatever poetic nonsense Gladio had called it. Another round of drinks passed around. Prompto’s face was already flushed, his whole body rosy and swaying. Gladio clicked his tongue, immediately catching Prompto with one hand and pulling him flush against his side to support him when he broke into a fit of giggles. Crowe, a Galahdian Assassin, called out, and Noctis found himself looking towards the entrance.

“Took you asses long enough!” She hollered.

A man Noctis quickly recognized as Libertus sauntered in. “It’s a wonder the Niffs never found this place with you yellin’ like that. ‘Sides we got caught up. Just putting down a few more of the stranglers tryin’ to cause trouble.”

“Nothing we couldn’t handle, though,” A familiar voice said. Noctis was on his feet before he realized it. 

Strolling into the Bureau like a damn dream was Nyx Ulric. He was still casually dressed; loose shirt and pants, with his hands jammed into the pockets. He gladly accepted the punch to his arm Crowe threw his way. 

“Didn’t know you had enough blood in that head of yours for thinkin’, Nyx,” Aranea quipped. “Weren’t you ‘indisposed’ a lot lately?”

Nyx shrugged. Crowe hooked an arm around his and took him around the room, rattling off names. Noctis was a beacon the closer they got to him. When they reached him, a funny look passed over Nyx’s face before he was grinning widely. He let Crowe go through the trouble of introducing them before she’d wandered off to bother Libertus.

“Hey,” He said to Noctis. “Long time no see.”

“Seems so,” Noctis mused. “Should I even ask?”

“How we’re both kind of dumb? Nah.” Nyx glanced around the room, before he shot Noctis a smile. “I don’t think we’ll hear the end of it.”

“Hm, good point. Actually. Is that offer for garula tail stew on the table?”

Nyx’s eyes lit up. “More than ever. It seems we’ll be working together more. Maybe we better get to know each other?”

Noctis laughed; they’d come to know quite a bit of each other in the last few weeks. But he wasn’t going to decline. “Yeah, we better.”

They snuck out, or at least they pretended they did, ignoring the glances of eyes catching them headed out. When they’d gotten safely from base, they joined hands and took off across the rooftops. They raced to Nyx’s apartment, humid air and laughter burning their lungs, and the bright warmth of Nyx’s eyes urging Noctis’ legs on. He tackled him against the door when they reached, promising to tattoo a new mark into his skin as Nyx accepted the challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something of a mix of AC: Black Flag, Syndicate, and Desmond's unfair life. I tried to hint at parts what Nyx was. He was doing additional recon at the bar, which is set up to farm info since its a bit of an out of the way hub. I vaguely modeled this AU's Galahd after my own culture lool. You might be able to catch it.


End file.
